Purpose: This study was designed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with gastric carcinoma after open or laparoscopic total gastrectomy.
Methods: A case-matched controlled prospective analysis of 136 patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy for stage I-III gastric carcinoma from 2007 to 2014 was performed. Patients who at the same period underwent open total gastrectomy were matched to the laparoscopy group at the ratio of 1:1 for comparison. The perioperative clinical outcomes, postoperative pathology, and survival were compared between the 2 groups
Results: The patient characteristics between the two groups were comparable. Laparoscopic resection resulted in less blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and longer operating time. The two groups had similar complication rates. Pathological data were similar for both procedures. Cumulative incidence of recurrence, disease-free, or overall survival rates were statistically similar.
Conclusion: This study showed that laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma is acceptable in terms of short-term clinical outcomes and long-term survival results.